garrison was exposed. Still, there were periods, even
now, when its sullen hinges were to be heard moaning on
the midnight breeze; for it served as a medium of
communication between the besieged and others who were
no less critically circumstanced than themselves.

The very day before the Indians commenced their simultaneous
attack on the several posts of the English, the only
armed vessel that had been constructed on these upper
lakes, serving chiefly as a medium of communication
between Detroit and Michilimackinac, had arrived with
despatches and letters from the former fort. A
well-concerted plan of the savages to seize her in her
passage through the narrow waters of the river Sinclair
had only been defeated by the vigilance of her commander;
but, ever since the breaking out of the war, she had been
imprisoned within the limits of the Huron. Laborious
indeed was the duty of the devoted crew. Several attempts
had been renewed by the Indians to surprise them; but,
although their little fleets stole cautiously and
noiselessly, at the still hour of midnight, to the spot
where, at the last expiring rays of twilight, they had
beheld her carelessly anchored, and apparently lulled
into security, the subject of their search was never to
be met with. No sooner were objects on the shore rendered
indistinct to the eye, than the anchor was silently
weighed, and, gliding wherever the breeze might choose
to carry her, the light bark was made to traverse the
lake, with every sail set, until dawn. None, however,
were suffered to slumber in the presumed security afforded